The $30 Cadillac Eldorado

[JA331]

I picked up this pile of parts yesterday for $30 primarily for the 7 speed Nexus hub. I believe the bike is made in Taiwan and an Australian branded Apollo retro cruiser. Once i got home i gave the lot a bath and discovered the rims were Japanese Arayas which was a nice bonus.

The paint is not original and someone spent a fair amount of time painting and pinstriping it as well as making the aluminum panels with Eldorado etched into them.

I decided to build it and soon found out the fork was bent and had been cut short. I pulled a Chinese Schwinn fork from my parts pile which was 40mm too long. I spent the next hour or so cutting an extra inch of thread and then proceeded to shorten and paint it. I was working at a fast pace and forgot to take pix.

Next I found a section of the old seat post someone used as a shim so they could use a 22.2mm post. Luckily i was able to remove it and fit a 25.4mm post.

I fitted a stack of parts I already had including a pair of really old Electra whitewalls, Schwinn stem, saddle, chainwheel and bars, newish cromo 175mm crank and nos union diamond block pedals. I cleaned and regreased all the bearings.

The fenders were too narrow for the 2.125” wide tyres so I left them off.

The final touch was the Cadillac water transfer decal that was one of a number of extra decals that came with a stencil kit i bought some time ago to repaint my 1936 Schwinn.

The front wheel needs to be trued and i intend to fit an 80’s canti front brake
but other than that it rides well and the 7 speed nexus works perfectly. The rebuild took just under 6 hours and I’m now on the hunt for a hood ornament off a Caddy.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Nexus 7 and Arayas for thirty bucks? That Cadillac was free! Good score

 

[toro1978]

That Eldorado tank alone might go for more if someone was selling them.

I like it a lot. Very clean, frame goes perfect with the tires and tire thread compliments the seat. Very nice. The grips look comfy and the shifter is phantastic.

 

[JA331]

Thanks. I’ll take some better photos of the tires tomorrow. The whitewall paint has checkered and looks really cool. They came off an old Electra Hawaii lady’s bike we’re now using at work.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Very nice. Ultra clean look

 

[JA331]

Finished it this morning. Trued the front wheel and fitted a late 80’s Shimano canti brake rather than leave the brake mounts on the fork exposed.

 

[JA331]

This ride was too light to wear the Caddy name so I added a few pounds to it with this steel rack which came off my daughter's late model slik chick.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Hmmm. That would be a good place for TAILFINS!!!

 

[JA331]

Good idea but I think that’s way above my skill level. Some fat fenders would be nice but i’m reserving them for my next project.

Tell you a funny story. About 30 years ago I was out cruising with a mate
in his dad’s mid 70’s caddy. We pulled up at a set of lights beside a nice galaxie coupe. I wound down my window and asked the guy in the galaxie what engine he was running . A 390 and then he asks whats in the caddy. I say a 472. You should have seen the look on his face. Funny thing that caddy sounded great through its stainless twin exhaust but it only had about 180hp!

 

[MattiThundrrr]

When I lived in Kingston, got the opportunity to cruise the town at sunset in a black '59 with the top down. No racin', but turned a hundred heads when we rolled up to the bar. Very cool experience

 

[RustyGold]

...it only had about 180hp!

...and 500+ lb-ft of torque! I'd put money on the Galaxie, though, as it was at least a 1000lbs lighter

 

[JA331]

...and 500+ lb-ft of torque! I'd put money on the Galaxie, though, as it was at least a 1000lbs lighter

Agreed. We never raced anyone in that car and I remember my mate complaining about the steering and brakes. The Right hand drive conversion mandatory for cars imported into Australia at the time meant it had a enclosed chain drive and bar set up under the dash to move the steering column and pedal assembly from the left side......you can imagine how well that worked.

 

[RustyGold]

...meant it had a enclosed chain drive and bar set up under the dash to move the steering column and pedal assembly from the left side......you can imagine how well that worked.

That is absolutely shocking to me...I had no idea that was the process used. That is nuts, bordering on just plain insane.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

That makes for some light, responsive steering, I'm sure

 

[JA331]

That method has been outlawed. Another friend of mine bought an 80’s Cadillac Brougham about 6 years ago which had been converted the same way. I had the displeasure of driving it one night and it shocked me how bad if was. Combined with the Oldmobile 307 smog engine it was the most unresponsive car i have ever driven.

 

[HDratz]

A pre-smog Eldorado with the 500 had 400 hp. A buddy of mine had one of those engines in a Studebaker Hawk, which is a light car.

 

[RustyGold]

A pre-smog Eldorado with the 500 had 400 hp. A buddy of mine had one of those engines in a Studebaker Hawk, which is a light car.

In stock form, only 80-90lbs heavier than a SBC.

 

[HDratz]

In stock form, only 80-90lbs heavier than a SBC.

Yep. I've heard a Caddy with an aluminum intake manifold is the same weight as a SBC with cast iron. And a Hawk probably weighs about the same as a Nova.

 

[RustyGold]

Yep...the 455 Buick is another thinwall casting wonder. Same claim, same weight as an SBC with the aluminum intake. Knew a guy bitd that put a 455 in a TR7...had it driveway running and driving, don't know if he ever finished it.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Yep...the 455 Buick is another thinwall casting wonder. Same claim, same weight as an SBC with the aluminum intake. Knew a guy bitd that put a 455 in a TR7...had it driveway running and driving, don't know if he ever finished it.

Similar. There was a guy trying to shoe horn one into a 1st gen RX7 after I finished my 406 swap into one. Don't think it ever got finished